Fluid-pressure generator



Nov. 30, 1926. 1,608,802

R. J. MEYERS ET Al.

FLUID PRES SURE GENERATOR Filed Feb. 23, 1926 Patented Nov. 30, 1926.

UNITED STATES PATENT ori-"ICE,A

n oY J. marras, or SHERMAN, n n rnrrz e. manner, or Los ANGELES, caLmoBNrL FLUID-PRESSURE GENERATOR.

Application led February 23, 1926. Serial No. 89,930.

This invention relates to an apparatus for generating Huid pressure for use in operating uid pressure actuated mechanisms, and particularly pertains to a device' for developing air pressure.

An object ofvthe invention is to provide an apparatus in which compressed air may be subjected to the action of heat in a heatingchamber to effect expansion thereof and therebyincrease its pressure, and to pro- .vide a means for automatically feeding the compressed air to the heating chamber to displace air drawn from the chamber s o as to maintain a supply of compressed air in the heating chamber:

Another object-is to provide an automatic mechanism for varying the heating effect of avseries of electrical heating elementsin a combined heating and expansion chamber operable by variations of pressure in the chamber.

A further object is to provide a means whereby vair under pressure in a reservoir may be inducted into a heating and expansion-,chamber containing .air at a pressure exceeding that lof the compressed air and operable byeiecting reduction of pressure in the heating and expansion chamber.

With the foregoing objects in'view, together with such other objects and advantages asjmay subsequently appear, the invention resides generally in the provision of a combined heating and expansion chamber containing a series of'electrical heating elements controlled byv a pressure actuated mechanism .whereby electrical current may be directed' through or cut'oli from one or lmore offthe heating elements independentlyV of the others, and linl providing. a sc urce of compressed air communicating with the heatlng and expansion' chamber through an' injector operable on reduction of pressure in the heating and expansion chamber to eifect inductionof compressed air into said chamber.y

The invention Vfurther resides'in the parts and .inthe combination, constructionand arrangement of parts'hereinafter described and=claimed and illustrated by vway of example in the accompanying drawings, iny

which:

The gurei'sa diagrammaticview show-.

ing the apparatus with parts in vertical section.

Referrin to the drawings more cally, 5 in icates a combined heating and wall is formed with a port 7 fitted with a-r.

check valve 8 arranged to open to the chain'- ber A to aord a restricted communicationbetween chambers A and B, and normallyclosing'the chamber B with respect to chamber A. A series of electrical heating elements 9 of any suitable number are arranged in the chamber A each of which elements embodies an electrical conductive and resistance wire 10 spirally wound in the form of a. coil around an insulating-core 11 one end of which wire connects with a conductor a leading from a contact point b on a lrheostat 12 and the other end of'which wire connects with a .conductor c leading longitudinally throu h the core 11 and connecting with a con uctor d leading to ground.V The rheostat 12 is thus provided with a series of the contact points b connecting through separate conductors with the spiral heating elements 9. -The Contact points b are mounted on an oscillatory member 13 turnable on an axis 14 and is provided with a fixed segmental contact arm 15 with which the contact points b' are moved successively in' and out of 'electrical connection on Vos-. cillation of the member 13. The arm 15 connects with a conductor e connecting with a 4.source of electrical supply'through a transformer f; the source of .electrical Supply being here shown as comprising a battery g and an electrical generator h which may be of any suitable construction. The rheostat i 18A and normally maintaining the\rack bar in its lowermost position with the contact points b in electrical connection with thev arm 15.

Leading from the chamber A and connecting with the lower end of the cylinder 17 below the piston 18 is a pipe 20 through which air under pressure is delivered fromy the chamber A to effect upward movement ofthe rackbar in oppositionto the spring 19 so as to cause the contact oints b to i successively move out of electrlcal connectionwith the arm 15 and thereby cut off -l ,flow of such electrical current as air, pressure in the chamber A increases and directing electrical current to one or more ofthe electrical heating elements.

. v'presser 33 through a discharge pipe 34 leading from the ylat-ter and connecting with an automatic double acting valve 35 from which leads conduits 36 and 37 communicating with the reservoirs 31 and 32. A

check valve 38 is provided in the communication between the injector and the chamber B'being here shown as arranged in the connection between the throat 24 and the pipe 25, which valve normally closes the throat 24 against back pressure from the chamber B. A .check valve 39 is provided between the chamber 26 and passage 27 and normally closes the latter against back pres,- sure from the injector. A check valve 40 is arranged in the pipe 34 between the reservoirs 31 and 32 and the air compressor 33 Vto prevent back flow of pressure from the reservoirs.

The valves 28 and 35 are complementary and each embody a pair of oppositely opening valvemembers 41 and 42 connected together by a stem 43 and are operable to alternately open and close ythe communications leading to and from the reservoirs 31 and 32; the valve member 41 in the valve 28 and' the valve member 42 in the valve 35 being normally closed whenl the complementary valve members 41 in valve 35 and valve 42 in valve 28 are opened and vice.

versa.

Leading from the chamber B. is a discharge pipe 45 fitted with a control valve 46.

In the operation of the-invention, air under pressure is initially created in the chambers A and B by means of the compressor 33; the air flowing from the compressor being delivered through either of the reservoirs 31 and 32 and through the injector and into the chambers A and B wherein the air is trapped under pressure by the check valve 39.

OnM closing a switch i in the conductor e electrical current willbe directed through. the rheostat and thence through certain'of the heating elements according to the contact points b positioned in electrical connection with the contact member 15, which is determined by the pressure of the air in the vchamber A. v'Ihe heating elements, through the coils ofwhich electrical current is thus directed, wlll elect a heating action and thereby cause expansion of the compressed air in the chamber A, thus increasing its pressure. As this pressure increases the number of heating elements in operation will be diminished. Excess pressure thus developed in the chamber A will be transmitted to thev chamber B through the pipes` 21 and 25. On opening' the valve 46 to discharge the air under pressure from chamber B reduction of pressure in this chamber will lcause air to flow through pipe 21 and 28 and 35 air pressure may be inducted from the reservoirs 3l or 32 while a diminishing supply of air under pressure in the other reservoir is being replenished.

While we have shown and described a specific embodiment of our invention, we do not limit ourselves to the exact detailsof construction or arrangement shownbut may employ such changes and modifications as clearly come within the meaning and scope of the appended claims.

We claim l 1. In a fluid pressure generating device, a combined air heating and expansion chamber, a series of electric heating elements in said chamber, a source of electric current supply, means for directing electrical current from said source of supply to said heating elements, a source of compressed air supply, an inductor operable by the How of air from said chamber to feed air from the source of compressed air supply to said chamber.

2. In a fluid pressure generating device, a combined air heating and expansion chamber, a series of electric heating elements in said chamber, a source of elect-ric current supply, means for directingv electrical ourrent from said source of supply to said heating elements, a source of compressed air supply, an inductor operable by the fiow of air from said chamber to feed air from the source of compressed air supply to said chamber, and means operable by variation of pressure in said pressure chamber for controlling the flow of electric current to4 the heating element.

3. Inl a fluid pressure generator, a com` .bined heat-ing and expansion chamber, 'elecoperable to close same under the urge of ekcess pressure on said chamber, an injector interposed in saidconneetion' between said chamber and check valve, and a valve con trolled outlet for said chamber communicat-v ing with the discharge side of said injector.

4. In aA Huid pressure generator,4 a heating chamber7 a series of electrical heating elements therein, a chamber having a valve controlled outlet, a restricted port affording a communication between said chambers; a check Valve in said port opening to the heating chamber, a pipe affording a second communication between said chambers, annjector in said pipe, a source of compressed air supply communicating with said injector, and means operable by variable pressure in the heating chamber Jfor varying the heating effect in said heating ele.- mcnt.

In testimony whereof, we hereunto affix our signatures;

ROY J. MEYERS. FRITZ G. HIEBER'I. 

